Something to Live For
by Cerasi5
Summary: Father’s Day draws near leaving Jesse in a swirl of emotions. But this year is different, especially when Jesse is kidnapped. Can Mark, Steve, and Amanda save him from a revengeful madman before it's too late? firsttime fic! Please be nice!
1. A Short Teaser

Summary: Father's Day draws near leaving Jesse in a swirl of emotions (no one can blame him). But this year is different. Can something his father did, or rather, didn't do, interfere with their only chance for survival from a madman? Can Mark, Steve, and Amanda get to them in time? Or will Jesse die with the one man he thought he could never forgive.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own "Diagnosis Murder" or Mark, Steve, Amanda, or Jesse. But I do own George Gable and George's henchmen. I'm not making any money off of this, either.  
  
Author's Note: Like I said, this is my first fan fic, so please be nice! ^_^ Constructive criticism is very welcome. So, pretty, pretty please review! ^_^ I'll give you a cookie! Well, a virtual one anyway…  
  
Anywho, on with the story!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Jesse sighed and looked at his watch. 3 in the morning. He had just barely survived a tiring 12-hour shift. Finally, it was time for him to go home. Slowly, he picked himself off the doctor's lounge couch and headed towards the elevator. He pushed the elevator button, and waited for it to come.  
  
"Dr. Travis!" He heard behind him. Grimacing, he turned to meet the most annoying janitor he had ever known. George Gable was Community General's new 5th floor janitor. Not only did he like to talk endlessly, it was also in a high-pitched nasal voice.  
  
"Mr. Gable!" Jesse said, trying his hardest to put on a smile. "How are you today?"  
  
"Oh, Dr. Travis! I just wanted to tell you how much I admired how you handled the bus crash this morning!" George smiled, tightening his grip on his mop in admiration.  
  
"Thanks Mr. Gable," Jesse said, his smile slightly faltering. George had touched a very delicate spot in Jesse's short day. At 1:30, 15 people were rushed in as bus crash victims. Some were DOA, and others didn't last long. Not only did Jesse have to deal with ½ of them on his own, (as there was only 1 other doctor on call) but he also had to tell the families of those lost the news by himself. It was an experience he would never want to repeat.  
  
"Oh, please! Call me George!" George said, seemingly not knowing the anguish he had inflicted on the poor tired doctor. Luckily, the elevator came before George said anything else damaging.  
  
"See you later today, George." Jesse said, gratefully stepping into the elevator.  
  
"Bye Dr. Travis!" George said, still smiling as the elevator doors closed. Jesse let out a deep sigh as the elevator began to descend to the parking garage. Rubbing a weary hand over his face, Jesse tried to think of going home, and sleeping. Ah, yes. Sleeping never sounded so good.  
  
When the elevator came to a stop, Jesse stepped out, and slowly walked to his green convertible. When he had come in the day before, it had been sunny and warm, so he had the top down. He didn't think he would need to put it up, as he only had a few nick-knacks in it, and none of them were worth stealing. Getting in, he started up the car, and, for the first time in an hour, he quickly drove home.  
  
******  
  
Jesse finally made it home, after it had started to rain, having his top get jammed, and being caught in a traffic jam. Dripping wet, he searched for his apartment key on his key ring. Muttering some colorful words under his breath, he discovered that he no longer had his house key. He put his forehead on the door.   
  
"Not… Happening…" He whispered. He got out his cell phone and called Mark.  
  
"Dr. Sloan."  
  
"Hey, Mark, it's Jesse."  
  
"Well, hey Jess! What can I do for you?"  
  
"Could you or Steve come to my condo and bring my house key?"  
  
"Sure, I'll be over there in a few minutes."  
  
"Thanks Mark." Jesse hung up his cell phone with a sigh. It was only 3:45 in the morning, but he could already tell it was going to be a bad day. Putting his back to the door, he slowly sank to the floor to wait for Mark to come.  
  
After a few minutes, Jesse saw Mark coming down the hallway.  
  
"Thanks, Mark. I'm really sorry about it being so early and all." Jesse said, getting up with a slight grin.  
  
"No problem." Mark said, smiling. "Do you know what happened to your key?"  
  
"I have no idea." Jesse said, shaking his head as he unlocked the door and walked in. Mark followed him, and turned on the lights. "Hey, here it is." Jesse said, picking it up off the coffee table in the middle of his living room. "Wonder how it got there."  
  
"Well, you were probably in the same state you are in now, and just forgot you put it there!" Mark said, affectionately rubbing Jesse's already messed up hair. Jesse smiled, and nodded.  
  
"Well, thanks again, Mark. I'll see you later today."  
  
"Get some sleep, Jess."  
  
"No problems there!" Jesse said, already walking towards his bedroom as Mark left. Ignoring the fact that he was dripping wet, Jesse flopped on his bed and quickly went to sleep.  
  
***********  
  
Tada! The first chapter. Good? Bad? Terrible? I-need-to-die-because-of-it's-horribleness? Please let me know! ^_^ 


	2. Trouble Begins

Author's Note: Wow! Thanks everyone who reviewed!! ^_^ Here, you can have your virtual cookie now! ^_^  
  
Seana Louisie: Thank you very much! ^_^ I'm glad it grabbed your interest. I hope you'll like the rest of it!  
  
Nat: I'm not worthy of your praise!! Thanks for it, bodyguard! ^_^  
  
Mellon-nin: Aw, you are too kind! ^_^ Nay, I'll be back! ^_^  
  
Fairyangel: I'm glad you like! ^_^ Hopefully I won't disappoint!  
  
AllieO: It's good to know it's not horrible! ^_^ I just wanted to see what other people thought of my writing. I'd rather sound unsure than cocky! ^_^  
  
adsh: Fast enough for you? ^_^ Although, I will warn you that sometimes my computer won't let me access word, so there may be long intervals between postings. Hopefully my computer will be nice when it want it to, though! ^_^  
  
Jamie: Thank you! I plan to! ^_^  
  
Tracy2: Oh. *nervous laugh* Yeah, I suppose you're right. ^_^ I guess I was just so excited about posting, that I didn't totally think it all the way through. lol I'll try to avoid any more slip-ups, but I won't promise anything! ^_^  
  
Marrymellon3: Is this fast enough for you? ^_^ I'm glad you like it so far!  
  
Emma Rosten: Aw, don't give up hope! This is actually my fourth try at writing a story! lol It just takes a little time. (well, for me at least! lol)  
  
Amy: I'm glad you like it so far! I hope it won't loose your interest!  
  
Klompy: Yeah, I have no idea what happened to chapter 2. I tried posting it like twice, but it never worked. But I guess if you're reading this now, then it worked! ^_^  
  
Josh: Hey! I guess Natalie told you about my story. lol. Thanks for reviewing it! ^_^  
  
I apologize about the faulty second chapter. I have no idea what happened. I hope this next chapter gives a little more action than the first. I also believe it is a bit longer. Enjoy! ^_^  
  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Hey Jess!" Mark said as he saw his colleague walk down the hallway towards him.  
  
"Hi Mark." Jesse said, forcing himself to lift his eyes from the ground.  
  
"Are you okay?" Mark asked, concerned. His friend was pale, and was sweating on his brow.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I'm just really tired, that's all." Jesse said, waving his hand dismissively while his other hand held his head.  
  
"Come here." Mark said, redirecting Jesse to the doctor's lounge, and making him sit on the couch. He felt Jesse's forehead.  
  
"Jesse! You're burning up! Why on earth are you at the hospital?"  
  
"Isn't that where sick people go?" Jesse said with a slight smile that abruptly faded as a wave of nausea came over him. "I have to be here. I've still got another 2 hours on my shift." He said, grimacing, as the pain got worse.  
  
"That's it. I'm taking you home." Mark declared.  
  
"But Mark, your shift…" Jesse started to say.  
  
"My shift just ended, and I'm going to cover yours. Now come on." Mark interrupted. Jesse knew there was no hope in arguing, so he let Mark help him into his car and take him home. When they got there, Mark helped Jesse to his apartment.  
  
"I'll have Steve come check in on you in about an hour, okay?" Mark asked, steering Jesse to his couch.  
  
"You don't need to," Jesse said, sitting while leaning against the armrest.   
  
"But I'm going to anyway." Mark said. "Take care of yourself, okay?"  
  
"Mark, I am a doctor." Jesse said, slightly smiling. Mark smiled back, and then left. Soon, Jesse fell asleep, still sitting upright.  
  
*****  
  
A few minutes later, Jesse woke up, extremely nauseated. Knowing what was coming next, he ran to the bathroom. He retched violently several times before he leaned back and rested his head on the wall. Only a few minutes later, he heard a knocking at the door.  
  
"Jess?" He heard. He didn't need to ask who it was to know that it was Steve. Too tired to let him in, he waited for Steve to let himself in.  
  
"Jesse? Where are you Jess?"   
  
"In here," Jesse croaked, trying to get up, unsuccessfully. Half way up, he started to fall, but luckily, Steve caught him.  
  
"Whoa, easy there Jess." Steve said, leading Jesse back to his bed, only to find that his sheets were soaking wet from earlier that morning. He gently placed Jesse on a chair he had in his room.  
  
"Sheets?" Steve asked.  
  
"Closet." Jesse answered, struggling to breath. The short walk from the bathroom tired him.  
  
"What's wrong?" Steve asked as he started to change Jesse's sheets.  
  
"I don't know," Jesse said, shaking his head. "At first, I thought I felt this way just because I was tired, but then it just got worse."  
  
"Dad said that you didn't look good." Steve recalled, almost finishing his messy changing of the sheets. "Do you think it was something you ate?"  
  
"I don't know." Jesse said, grimacing. "All I ate this morning was a bowl of cereal." Steve frowned, and then was startled by Jesse sudden movement to the bathroom. He grimaced as he heard what he expected to hear. Once he thought Jesse was done, he went to the bathroom, and picked Jesse up.  
  
"Hey," Jesse started to protest.  
  
"Just relax Jess. Just this once." Steve said. Jesse sighed, and went limp, allowing himself to be placed into his bed. Steve then started to take off Jesse's shoes and socks, and pulled the covers over him.  
  
"Thanks Steve." Jesse whispered, his strength gone.  
  
"No problem." Steve said, his mouth set in a sad line. "I'll be back later. Just rest, okay?"  
  
"Okay," Jesse agreed. Steve looked over his friend one more time, and then headed out.  
  
*****  
  
"Dad? I'm worried about Jesse." Steve said, frowning. He had returned from his trip to Jesse's apartment. Part of him was telling him to go back and stay with Jesse, but he knew there would be little he could do to help his suffering friend. "He even let me carry him to bed. Something's seriously wrong."  
  
"I know." Mark agreed. "All his symptoms point to food poisoning. But I don't know what could he have eaten to make this happen. There's no spoiled food that I know of that can have that sort of a reaction on someone. It's almost as if someone put it in his food."  
  
"But he told me that he only had a bowl of cereal!" Steve declared, running a hand through his hair.  
  
"Well, lets go look at his cereal then!" Mark said with a determined look.  
  
******  
  
Jesse turned over for what felt like the thousandth time. His frequent trips to the bathroom had stopped about 15 minutes ago, but he still felt sick. Squeezing his eyes shut, he heard someone opening his door. Forcing himself to turn over again to look at the door, he wasn't surprised to see Mark and Steve come through.  
  
"Hey Jess." Mark greeted, walking towards Jesse as Steve went into his kitchen.  
  
"Hey," Jesse attempted to smile.  
  
"How do you feel?" Mark asked, going into "doctor mode", eyeing Jesse.  
  
"Better." Jesse slightly shrugged. He then saw Steve take his cereal and milk onto his kitchen table.  
  
"You know it's not polite to eat other people's food without asking." Jesse said with a grin.  
  
"Just thought I would repay the favor!" Steve joked, putting some of the milk into a vial, and some of Jesse's cereal into a bag.  
  
"Saving some for on the road?" Jesse asked.  
  
"Actually, Jess, we're going to test it for salmonella. We think you've been poisoned." Mark said, frowning.  
  
"Why would I be poisoned?" Jesse asked, his feverish mind not comprehending.  
  
"Well, we don't really know. We'll worry about that later." Mark told him. "Sorry our visit is so short, but I really want to get those to the lab. We'll be back soon."  
  
"`Kay." Jesse said, closing his eyes, drifting off to sleep. Quietly, Steve and Mark left, softly shutting the door behind them.  
  
*****  
  
"Um, Dad, it's 6:00 in the morning. Is anyone going to be in the lab?" Steve asked his father once they had gotten into the car.  
  
"Amanda will be." Mark assured him.  
  
"How do you know?" Steve asked, puzzled.  
  
"Because I'm going to call her now." Mark said, reaching for his cell phone dialing the number. "Amanda? It's Mark. Yes, I know it's early. Listen, I've got a favor to ask. Could you be in the lab in ten minutes? I need you to test something for me. No, it can't wait. It's milk and cereal. No, it's not my breakfast; it's Jesse's. I think he's been poisoned. Thanks Amanda!"  
  
"You owe her big time." Steve said.  
  
"No, Jesse does." Mark said, giving Steve a smile.  
  
***********  
  
An update the next day? Surely it cannot be true. But it is. School was canceled because of rain. *yay* So I wouldn't expect this to happen often. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, though. And, of course, please review! ^_^ 


	3. Father's Day Questions

Hello again! Thanks to everyone who reviewed my story! ^_^ But before I get into personal responses, I would like to apologize. My mind totally skipped the fact that: a) Jesse is really sick b) Mark and Steve leave him ALONE. Hmm… Something's not right here! ;) I would like to thank Bev and Indigo for bringing this to my attention. I always appreciate constructive criticism! ^_^ I should let everyone know that there will be at least 2 more "unbelievably unbelievable" parts. (Or, at least, that's what I call them! lol Last chapter was one of them.) You see, I used to write Star Wars fan fiction, so I've gotten used to having my characters use the Force to aid them. In this story, I just like to think that it was because of adrenaline! Hope you'll cope with me! lol Anywho, on to thanking reviewers…  
  
Lozza: I'm glad you like it! You'll find out soon enough! ;)  
  
Britt-Angel: Hi! Thanks for reviewing!! ^_^ Thanks also for the complement. Oh, and I haven't forgotten about the poem for your site! It's just taking a while to get it all down! lol  
  
Mellon-nin: Wow. You must have really liked the chapter! lol You shall find out soon enough! (as if you don't know already! ^_^)  
  
Mellon-nin2: Hmm… I think I know you! ;)  
  
Strange Penguin: Aw… thank you!! ^_^ I LOVE your story "Not Again"! I feel honored to have my story reviewed by you! ^_^  
  
DMFAN: Thank you! ^_^ How about if I update fast, you will too! ;)  
  
Indigo: Of course, thank you for bringing the whole sickness-with-no-one-there thing to my attention! ^_^ I'll try to keep anything else like that from happening! Hope this chapter is better! ^_^  
  
And on with the show! ^_^  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"I can't believe I agreed to come to the lab at such an hour!" Amanda said as a way of greeting Steve and Mark. "CJ would not fall asleep last night!"  
  
"You would change your mind if you saw him at 5:00 this morning." Steve said.  
  
"I know." Amanda said. "Sorry." She apologetically smiled at Steve.  
  
"Here's his milk and cereal." Mark said, handing them to Amanda.  
  
"I'll get started on it." She said, "It should take about 10 minutes. In the mean time, you should call Jess and tell him not to eat anything."  
  
******  
  
Jesse was sleeping blissfully, when the harsh sound of the phone ringing woke him up. Groggily, he reached for the torture device and answered it.  
  
"`ello?"   
  
"Hey Jess, it's Mark."  
  
"Hey," Jesse said, rubbing his face, trying to wake himself up.  
  
"Don't eat anything, okay? We're having your milk and cereal being tested. I'm sure you wouldn't want to repeat what happen this morning."  
  
//This is morning!// Jesse wanted to say. Instead, he just said, "Yeah."  
  
"We'll be over when we get the results of the tests, okay?"  
  
"`kay. I'll see you guys then!" Jesse said, hanging up. Putting the phone back into the receiver, he fell back onto his pillow. As much as he hated to admit it, he figured he better make himself look presentable. Getting out of bed, he headed over to the bathroom and put his head under the faucet. After rubbing it dry with a towel, he combed it out. It was probably the neatest his hair had been in a long time Jesse thought, chuckling. He finally was feeling much better. He then shuffled to the living room to watch TV until his friends came. It wasn't long until he heard a knocking at his door. Turning off the TV, Jesse went to the door and opened it to reveal his 3 closest friends.  
  
"You actually answered the door this time!" Steve kidded.  
  
"Don't make me shut it on you.' Jesse said, getting out of the way so they could come into his apartment. "Do you guys have the results?" He asked once everyone was inside.  
  
"Yes," Amanda said, getting the papers out of the file she kept them in. Jesse motioned for them to sit in his living room.  
  
"Mark was right." Amanda announced. "The milk tested positive for salmonella. The cereal didn't though. I guess our person didn't know what cereal you had in the morning."  
  
"Doesn't take a rocket scientist. I only have one cereal in my whole house." Jesse mumbled.  
  
"It's good to see that you still have your humor!" Mark said. Jesse smirked.  
  
"Can I eat now? I think I'm actually hungry." Jesse asked.  
  
"Why am I not surprised?" Steve jokingly asked.  
  
"I don't think you should eat any of the food you have here, because it all might be poisoned," Amanda gave a look at Mark.  
  
"Why don't you come to the beach house?" Mark asked, interpreting Amanda's look.  
  
"Thanks Mark. Remind me of this when I'm mad at you." Jesse said with a grin.  
  
"You've been mad at me?" Mark asked, frowning surprised.  
  
"Only when you won't believe I've been abducted by aliens!" Jesse said, with an even bigger grin. The whole gang couldn't help but laugh.  
  
****beach house****  
  
"Hey Dad. Where's Jesse?" Steve asked, entering the room after coming back from work.  
  
"Sleeping in the guest room." Mark said with a smile. "After eating a sandwich, he seemed completely worn out!" Steve chuckled.  
  
"Dad, I'm going to ask you a question, and the answer can't be 'I don't know' or 'nothing', okay?" Steve asked, sitting beside his father.  
  
"Okay son." Mark said, already knowing what was coming next.  
  
"What do you want for Father's Day?"  
  
"I do not need anything, Steve."  
  
"Dad!" Steve said exasperated, falling back onto the sofa. "Do we have to go through this every year?"  
  
"Guess so." Mark said, chucking, back to reading his paper.  
  
"Hey guys." Steve and Mark turned their heads to see a groggy Jesse emerge from the hallway.  
  
"Hey Jess," Mark greeted, "how did you sleep?"  
  
"Wonderful," Jesse said while trying to muffle a yawn. "I think I'm going to grab some orange juice and sit out on the deck, okay?"  
  
"I think I'll join you," Steve said, also heading towards the kitchen.   
  
As Jesse walked onto the deck, the soft ocean breeze greeted him. Sighing contently, he sat in a chair, and rested his cup on the table. Steve followed suit.  
  
"Hey Jess, can I ask you something?" Steve asked, turning to Jesse for him to answer his dilemma.  
  
"Sure, Steve. What?" Jesse asked, taking a sip of his orange juice.  
  
"What do you think I should get my father for Father's Day?" Jesse felt a lump rising in his throat. He knew it was coming. Even before Steve asked it, he knew what the question would be. It happened every year. Normally, it didn't bother him, but this year was different. He thought he had gotten over it, but it still remained in the back of his mind; like a constant tap on the shoulder. His dad had forgotten his birthday. Every year, no matter what, he had always gotten a birthday card from his father. It was the only thing he could count on his father doing. But this year, there was none. No plain white envelope inclosing a cheesy card with a sloppy signature. Nothing.   
  
"Jess?" Steve asked, frowning when his friend didn't answer.  
  
"What? Oh, sorry. Kinda zoned-out there." Jesse said shaking his head, as if that would get rid of the thoughts there. "Have you asked your dad what he wanted?"  
  
"Yeah, he said nothing." Steve said, gazing out to the ocean. "Maybe I could just give him a card." Jesse could barely stop himself from flinching. //Maybe I could just give him a card.// The words echoed in his mind. Only they weren't said in Steve's voice, they were said in his father's. //Maybe I could just give him a card.//  
  
"No, that just means you don't care. But it's better than nothing." Jesse finished his orange juice with a big gulp, and quickly headed inside.  
  
"Jess?" Mark asked as he saw Jesse quickly walk into the house. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Oh, nothing. I'm just a little woozy, so I'm going to lay down for a little." Jesse said in a rush as he washed out his glass and started walking towards the guest room.  
  
"Do you want some more of the medicine?" Mark called after him. Jesse waved his hand behind him and said something that Mark didn't understand.  
  
"Steve, what went on out there?" Mark asked as Steve came in.  
  
"I don't know." Steve said, confused. "All I said was 'maybe I could just give him a card' and he said something like that would mean you don't care, but it's better than nothing." He sat down next to his father. "Maybe I should go talk to him."  
  
"Not right now. Let him have a moment to himself." Mark said, still frowning. //What could have upset Jesse so much?// He wondered.  
  
*****  
  
//Oh, pull yourself together, Travis!// Jesse thought to himself as he lay on his stomach on the bed. He still couldn't shake off the depression that had settled over him. It's just a stupid card. //It's not the end of the world!// But it was the end of the small father-son relationship that Jesse had with Dane. It was fragile enough. But now, Jesse feared that it was now totally broken. It would have to be some miracle for Jesse to trust, or even talk to, his dad. His mother wasn't much better, either. //But then again,// Jesse though, //how could she? She's dead.// That thought didn't help much. Jesse's mother died about 2 years ago in April. He even didn't attend her funeral. He thought she wouldn't attend his. But now, he regretted that decision. That was another thing that haunted him. //But this whole card thing should be easier to live with!// Jesse thought, turning onto his side. He then heard a knocking at the door.  
  
"Jess? Can we talk?" It was Mark. Struggling to sit up, he tried to wipe away his tears.  
  
"Uh, come in." Jesse called out, wiping away the last of his tears.  
  
"Jess," Mark said compassionately, closing the door behind him. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" He sat next to Jesse on the bed.  
  
"It's my dad." Jesse said softly, not trusting his voice to be any louder. He shrugged. "It's really no big deal."  
  
"Tell me anyway." Mark convinced.  
  
"He…" Jesse started, determined not to cry. "He forgot my birthday this year." Mark sucked in a breath, and let it out slowly.  
  
"And when Steve said something about getting you a card, it.. Just came out." Jesse said, getting softer. He bowed his head.  
  
"Oh Jess," Mark said even more compassionately. Things were fragile enough with Jesse's father. Mark himself never really cared for the man, but always tried to be kind. Suddenly, he was reconsidering his ways.  
  
"I… I think I'm going to go home now." Jesse said, getting up.  
  
"Are you sure, Jess?" Mark said, also getting up.  
  
"Yeah. I'll be okay. Thanks Mark." Jesse grabbed his coat and keys and headed toward the door. "I'll see you later, Steve." Jesse called over his shoulder, shutting the door behind him.  
  
"Okay Jess…" the sentence died on Steve's lips. "Did you find out what happened?"  
  
"Yeah. It seems Dane forgot Jesse's birthday." Mark said. To anyone else, it would have seemed that Mark was just sad, but Steve knew better. He could tell that his father was becoming increasingly mad at the man. Steve could understand why. He felt guilty bringing up the subject of a card.  
  
"So that's why he was so upset." Steve said, looking at his father. Mark nodded. He knew that Jesse should stay at the beach house, but he also knew that Jesse needed his space. Sighing, Mark sat down next to his son. As hard as it was, he admitted that there was nothing he could do.  
  
*******  
  
Kinda had a lot of dialogue, but I hope it was okay! ^_^  
  
Now that I'm more aware of leaving Jesse alone when he shouldn't, I wondered whether I should let Jesse go home. But I thought that since he had medication and was fully rested (even though he was in emotional angst) I would let him go home! ^_^ If you think other-wise, please let me know! ^_^ Thanks! ^_^ 


	4. Villain Revealed

Hi everybody! Sorry it took a week to update. I'll try to be faster. Although I promise it will never take longer than a week to update. Until, that is, I get near the end. You see, I've written all of it except the end because I want to know if you want a sequel or just fix everything in this one story. I'll poll everyone when I get to that part! ^_^ You don't have to tell me just yet! ^_^ Here's personal thanks to the people who reviewed:  
  
Adsh: Good, I'm glad you thought it was okay to let Jesse go. And you were right, it thickened the plot as you will see soon! ^_^ In fact, you're right about a lot of things… Very good! ^_^  
  
DMFAN: I'm glad it met your approval! lol Hey, take your time updating! (to a certain extent, of course! lol) Yeah, I had to do some research for this chapter. It was really interesting reading about all these long medical words! I tried to keep it at a minimum, though! ^_^  
  
StrangePinguin: Wow. Thanks for your praise! ^_^ It was from reading stories such as yours that helped me develop my writing style to fit the DM characters. It's nice to know it worked! ^_^  
  
Mellon-nin: Oh, do not worry. Your review is very much appreciated! ^_^ Although you many reviews make the number of them go quite high. It makes it seem like my story is very popular! ^_^ Thank you for doing so! lol  
  
Britt-Angel: I must apologize for my slowness for getting the poem done. Cursed homework! lol But I am glad you are back on the boards! ^_^ You were very missed! ^_^  
  
Hope everyone likes this chapter! Although, I will warn you. My "villain's" dialogue leaves something to be desired. I apologize for that. I tried fixing it, but it just got worse. So my excuse is that he is so crazed with sadness, that he says really stupid things. Once again, I am sorry. Please don't hurt me…  
  
Chapter 4  
  
It was a miracle that he didn't crash Jesse thought as he reached for his apartment key. The events of the day were starting to take a toll on him. Slowly, he opened the door, and turned on the lights to find George Gable, the janitor, in his living room on his couch. Jesse blinked again, not believing the sight before him. George's normal peppy gaze was hard and cold as he stared at Jesse.  
  
"Dr. Travis." George said darkly. He continued to stare at Jesse; blinking was his only movement.  
  
"G.. George," Jesse stuttered. "What are you doing in my apartment?" George smirked.  
  
"You don't recognize me, do you, Dr. Travis?" George slowly started to get up.  
  
"I… I don't understand." Jesse stuttered again.  
  
"Do you remember a case 6 months ago from this day?" George started off, slowly inching towards Jesse with menace. "A car had slipped on the road and had been hit by a semi. The woman in the car sat out in the cold for 3 HOURS!" George yelled, turning red. "Community General's lousy ambulance didn't get there until 3 HOURS AFTER THE RECK! Kris.. I mean the woman was 'rushed' into the emergency room. Severe concussion, both legs broken, hypothermia." George stepped closer with each injury. "You 'did all you could'" He said mocking Jesse. "Well she died!" He yelled again, on the verge of tears. "18 days before Christmas! 18 days before she was supposed to get married. And you took all that away from her." George's voice was a whisper now. "And do you know who her fiancé was?" Jesse knew, but didn't answer. "ME!" George screamed, now a foot from Jesse's face. "So," George said, backing away from Jesse. "I became a janitor. First for fast food restaurants, slowly moving my way up. And now, I'm a janitor for Community General. Every day I put on the uniform, I couldn't stand it! I couldn't believe that I was representing the hospital that killed Kristy. But revenge is sweet. Oh, Dr. Travis. Revenge is sweet." George snarled. "It was so easy, too. Get the spare driver's license from your glove box to figure out where you lived. Copy your key from your locker while you were manning a double shift. Coming to your apartment and poisoning your food. You make it so easy, Dr. Travis."  
  
Jesse could have hit himself for not noticing. He remembered all right. George was irate with sadness. He even threatened Jesse that he would kill him. Jesse never knew he really meant it.  
  
"George," Jesse tried to reason, finally finding his voice again. "She was too far gone. No matter who treated her, she would have died anyway."  
  
"Don't say that!" George screamed, a few stray tears running down his cheeks.  
  
"It's true," Jesse tried again, slowly walking towards George. "Her intracranial pressure was too great. She was in a coma immediately after the crash!"  
  
"How dare you!" George screamed again, his face becoming even redder. "She would be alive if it wasn't for you!" Jesse didn't have a chance to respond. George picked up a vase that was sitting on the coffee table by the couch, and crashed it on the back of Jesse's head. The vase shattered as Jesse slumped to the floor, unconscious.  
  
"Don't mess with a revengeful man, Dr. Travis." George whispered. He then scooped Jesse up from under the shoulders, and dragged him to his black car waiting outside the emergency exit. After shoving Jesse into his trunk, George sped away. He looked at his watch; 11:20. Perfect, he thought smiling to himself.  
  
*******  
  
"Jesse?" Mark knocked on the door again. Must be asleep he thought as he unlocked the door, and walked in. "Hey Jess! I've brought lunch."  
  
"Jesse?" Amanda asked, walking in after Mark. She was anxious to see how her friend was doing. Steve walked in after both of them and shut the door.  
  
"Hey, why'da stop?" Steve asked after Mark and Amanda stopped walking in front of the couch. Steve walked around to find a vase smashed on the floor.  
  
"His father gave him that," Amanda said as she bent down to pick up the pieces.  
  
"Stop!" Steve said before she touched it. "I know how sensitive Jesse was about his dad lately. I don't think he would do this, even if he was mad at him."  
  
"Sensitive about his dad?" Amanda asked, looking at Mark.  
  
"His dad forgot his birthday." Mark explained.  
  
"So where's Jesse?" Amanda asked, coming back to the original problem. Mark got up to look in his bedroom, and Amanda went into the kitchen.  
  
"He's not here." Mark announced.  
  
"I know." Amanda said worriedly. "But his car is."  
  
"I'm going to take these pieces to the lab. I bet whoever took Jesse also broke this." Steve said, using a tissue to pick up the pieces to put in his pocket. Suddenly, the TV flickered on. Who was on there surprised Mark and Amanda. It was George Gable the janitor.  
  
"Hello Dr. Sloan, Dr. Bentley, and Lt. Sloan." George said smirking. "As you can guess by now, that I have the person your looking for." George stepped aside to reveal Jesse tied to a chair slumped. He had a gash on the left side of his forehead, and a black eye was forming around his left eye. Jesse's scrubs hid the rest of his injuries. George stepped back into view, his eyes bloodshot, his grin insane.  
  
"Doesn't look so good, now does he? Let me tell you a story. Once there was a beautiful woman named Kristy. She was hit by a semi. She was brought into Community General, where Dr. Travis here," He motioned to Jesse, "treated her. But he wasn't good enough. She died. And you know what? She was engaged. Guess to whom? Me! But now she's dead, and so I live wretchedly ever after. But not anymore. Now, there is revenge." George smiled wildly again, taking pleasure from the pain he knew he was giving Jesse and his friends. "Now, you will know what I have gone through. Am still going through. So let this be a lesson to you, Dr. Sloan. Let's hope you never do this to Steve." Mark frowned. How did this have anything to do with him and Steve? "Because the person driving the semi was Dane Travis." The camera zoomed out to reveal Dane also tied to a chair. Startled, Jesse looked over at his father. He hadn't seen him when he had first come in because it was dimly lighted and Dane said nothing. But now, he could see clearly.  
  
"I've kept Dane here for a month, trying to get Jesse. I knew I wouldn't be satisfied if I didn't have them both. But now, I can enforce the pain on him that he enforced on me by killing his son." This got no reaction from Dane, but it did from Jesse's friends.  
  
"No!" Amanda yelled. Steve gasped. Mark stared coldly at George. Two men behind him roughly yanked Jesse upright in his chair. George pulled out a gun.  
  
"Don't worry," He said, "I'm not going to kill him now. Not yet. Instead, I'm going to have a little fun." He cocked the gun. He aimed and shot; it hit Jesse in the right shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain.  
  
"Better hurry, Sloan." George threatened, turning back to the camera. "I lose my temper easily." With that, the camera was shut off, and the 3 were left staring at a black screen.  
  
********  
  
See? HORRIBLE dialogue for George! But like I said, it is because he is a madman. And because I'm not as good of a writer as others. (Not trying to be mean to myself or anything, but just wanted to state a fact! lol You should know I rarely take myself seriously! ^_^) Luckily, George doesn't talk much after this, so you won't have to go through something like that again! lol Well, with that said, please review!! ^_^ 


	5. Questions Answered

Okay, first off, I would like to say I am SO SORRY it took SO LONG to update! I had to rewrite the chapter in order to fill in holes. Not a good excuse, I know, but it's true. *Finally*, I finished, so I humbly present to you Chapter 5! But first, thanks to reviewers:  
  
adsh: I spent a lot of time thinking why Dane was driving a semi. (That was a REALLY good point, by the way!) I think I've got a reason now, but it won't be included until next chapter. I did include why George was plotting against Mark, Steve, and Amanda in this chapter, though. Hopefully you'll find it believable.  
  
Edwina: Thanks! Sorry you had to wait so long for the next chapter. Hopefully you'll still like it! ^_^  
  
Cass8: First off, I'd just like to thank you for taking the time to give me pointers to make me a better writer. I really tried to take your advice to heart. As you guessed, I am a young writer. I guess I try to make up for my not-so-complex plot line by expanding my vocabulary. (ie: Irate with sadness) I'll try to be a little more careful with how I use my words. I also realize that I am rushing this story. It's something I plan to work on. I'll try to take my time in the next few chapters. As I stated above, I rewrote this chapter to fill in holes from the last one. I thought a lot about what you said while writing it, and I hope you can see improvement.  
  
Amy: Thanks! Poor Jess indeed! lol I hope you enjoy this next chapter!  
  
tiger tail: When I read your review, you could not believe how much better I felt about this story. Now that I step back, and really look at it, I realize I seemed very down on myself, and I have you to thank for that. And I am glad you think my story's not crap! ;) So, from now on, I won't pretend like it is.  
  
tkitty: Thanks! Although it may not seem like it, but I did update asap. Hopefully, it won't take this long in the future! ^_^  
  
Britt-Angel: Thanks for your review! ^_^ In this chapter, I explained how the TV turned on by its self. Hopefully you'll find it understandable!  
  
keemew2: I'm glad you're enjoying my story so far. To be truthful, I really didn't think about when this was happening. If it helps any, Jesse knows his father is a CIA agent. Does he become an ex? If so, then this story is still within the series time-frame. If not, I suppose it's after the series ended, because I remember in one episode Jesse's mom came back, so it'd have to be after that! lol Well, I hope I answered some questions. More will be answered in the next chapter. (like why Dane was driving a semi)  
  
Mellon-nin: I fear I have switched some things on you! Perhaps you will still find this chapter enjoyable though! ^_^  
  
StrangePenguin: lol! I'm glad you thought George's dialogue wasn't too bad. I tried to answer a lot of question in this chapter and the next one. Oh, and by the way, you actually type English rather well for someone who normally speaks German! ^_^  
  
Daniel Wesley Rydell: I'm glad you liked it! There's going to quite a bit of… drama, shall we say? in the next few chapters! ^_^  
  
Legolasfreak: Oh, you haven't seen anything yet! *evil snicker* ^_^  
  
DMFAN: It's nice, because George doesn't talk so much in the next few chapters so I won't have to worry about it! lol I'll explain why Dane is driving the truck in the next chapter. ^_^  
  
Marianne Verhoeven: I'm sorry I kept you waiting so long! I don't think it'll ever take this long to update ever again! (or so I hope… lol!)  
  
Fairyangel: Thanks for your review! ^_^ I'm afraid to say this isn't much of an action chapter, but don't worry, it'll come! ^_^  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Got it, boss." Came a rough voice from behind the camera.  
  
"Good." George said, satisfied. "We'll send another one later this evening. Don't want them to find us too quickly, do we?" he added with a sinister smirk. His plan had gone smoothly so far. He could just imagine the wheels turning in Mark Sloan's head. The old man never saw it coming! Jesse wasn't the only one who didn't recognize him. He would soon enough, though.  
  
"Put them in the back room!" George barked to his men who immediately complied. He wouldn't be needing them for a while.  
  
********  
  
Mark, Steve, and Amanda sat stunned, still staring at the blank screen as though it would tell them where George was. Mark was the first to break the silence.  
  
"Did he say that his fiancé was Kristy?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Yeah," Steve answered distantly, worried for his friend.  
  
"And she got hit by a semi?"  
  
"I think George made that quite clear." Amanda said, giving Mark a questioning glance. Mark didn't notice it, though. He was lost in memories almost forgotten.  
  
~~flashback~~  
  
Mark struggled to see out his windshield through the pouring rain as he drove home from Community General. Suddenly, the red taillights he had been following stopped. Quickly Mark slammed on the brakes to keep himself from crashing into the car in front of him. Squinting, he tried to see what had caused them to stop. It was futile, though, for he could hardly see the car in front of him. Slowly, the traffic inched forward. After 10 minutes of crawling along the highway, Mark was able to see a semi on the edge of the road. As he got closer, he saw that there was also a small destroyed car in front of the semi's grill. Immediately kicking into "doctor mode" like he had done so many times, Mark pulled over to the side of the road. Once he turned off his car, he made his way to the small wrecked car. When he got there, the site made him sick. A young lady was hunched over the steering wheel, her curly auburn hair falling around her face. The dashboard in front of her was splattered with her own blood. The smell coming from the car was strong, and Mark found it hard to keep from gagging. Slowly backing away from the car, he pulled his cell phone out of his coat pocket. He was sure someone had already called 911, but he wanted to make sure. Unfortunately, he overestimated the kindness of LA's people. The operator told him that he was the first to call in the incident.  
  
Angrily, he turned off his cell phone and walked back to the woman. He peered in the broken door window to see if it was okay for him to open the door. Deciding it was, he slowly pulled the door open, ready to catch the woman if his disturbance caused her to fall. She didn't as Mark pushed the door as wide as it would go. The front of the car was crushed as far as the dashboard, crushing the woman's legs with it. As Mark got closer, he could see pieces of the car's windows scattered in her hair. Gently, he brushed the hair out of her face to reveal a large gash on the woman's temple. The blood glittered, reflecting off the headlights of cars on the highway. Gently, he pressed his fingers on the woman's neck and found a shaky pulse. She was alive, but it was obvious that she needed help right away.  
  
With a frown, Mark realized that he couldn't move the woman without aggravating her injuries further. He decided to go to the semi to see how the other driver fared. As he got closer, he was surprised to see there was no driver. As he looked in the cab, he couldn't find any sign of blood. Obviously the driver had gotten out of the truck and run away. Mark shook his head in disgust and headed back towards the woman. Again, he checked her pulse to find that it was weakening. Desperately, he looked at the highway, hoping that he would see the ambulance coming their way. Unfortunately, there was no such thing on the road. With a shiver, he prepared to stay with the woman until help arrived.  
  
~~end flashback~~  
  
"Mark?" Amanda asked. Her friend had a blank expression on his face and was staring out the window. "Mark?" She ventured again. That snapped Mark out of his trance.  
  
"I'm sorry; what did you say, Amanda?" Mark said, turning his attention to her.  
  
"What were you doing?" She asked. "Did you remember something?" Mark nodded slowly.  
  
"Do you remember last December when I got hypothermia?" It was Amanda's turn to nod.  
  
"Of course. You almost missed the hospital's Christmas party!"  
  
"Yeah," Steve agreed. "It was because you stayed out in the rain with an accident victim…" his voice trailed off as the facts began to click. "That was Kristy!"  
  
"That must be why George set up this." Mark gestured towards the TV. "He wants me to see everything."  
  
"Us too." Amanda said quietly.  
  
"What do you mean?" Steve asked.  
  
"I was the one that did the autopsy report on Kristy." She turned to Steve. "And you were put on the case of finding the semi's driver!"  
  
"It's not just Jesse he wants. He wants all of us." Mark realized.  
  
*******  
  
The men roughly shoved Jesse and Dane into the room and locked the door. Jesse found the wall closest to him, and leaned on it. His shoulder was screaming out in pain. Unwillingly, tears streamed down Jesse's face. He heard Dane take a deep breath.  
  
"I'm sorry." The words shocked Jesse more than the bullet. He never thought he would ever hear his father say those words.  
  
"I didn't realize he would come after you. I would have stopped him if I could." Jesse couldn't believe it. His father was actually apologizing to him.  
  
"It doesn't make sense," Jesse whispered. "You apologize for things out of your control, but don't for things you do control."  
  
"Jesse," Dane sighed.  
  
"Don't deny it." Jesse warned, his voice getting louder. "I don't care that you feel bad for some psycho that came after me because of you! I care more about you feeling bad for never being there in my childhood; for walking out on mom and me. I care more about that than I'll ever care about this." Dane was quiet. Jesse waited for a while, but couldn't stand it anymore.  
  
"Well?" He asked accusingly.  
  
"I don't have to answer you." Dane said quietly.  
  
"Oh, c'mon, Dad! Why not? Can't you even think of a good-enough lie?"  
  
"It's in the past, Jesse!" Dane stated in a loud voice. "It doesn't matter now."  
  
"Oh, I get it." Jesse said, tears forming in his eyes. But this time, they were from emotional pain. "Because you had me in the past, I don't matter now."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it." Dane said. Jesse's tears started to flow more freely.  
  
"Fine." He whispered. Closing his eyes, he tried to get some much-needed sleep. He found it impossible as angry thoughts of his father swarmed in his head. As soon as he got out of this mess, Jesse planned to never talk to his dad again.  
  
*****  
  
The three friends all sat in silence, trying to get over the shock of their knowledge. After a while, Steve got up to look at the TV. Suddenly, he picked something up from the top of the frame, and smashed it on the floor. He stomped on it until he was satisfied.  
  
"It was a camera," He explained to his friends. "He was watching us the whole time!"  
  
"I can't believe…" Amanda's voice trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.  
  
"We need to find Jesse." Mark stated, finally out of his daze. "And fast. We don't know how much time we have left."  
  
"But where to start?" Amanda asked.  
  
"Steve, do you know where the transmitter is?" Mark asked his son.  
  
"What do you mean, Dad?"  
  
"Well, George must have set up Jesse's TV to turn itself on and broadcast his signal somehow. He must have used a transmitter." Mark explained. Steve then examined the TV and VCR.  
  
"Here it is." He said triumphantly. He started to yank it out.  
  
"Wait!" Amanda stopped him. "Leave it in there. Maybe he'll broadcast something else later that could help us find Jesse."  
  
"Lets hope we won't give him the time." Mark said grimly. "Did you guys notice anything unusual in the video?" The group silenced.  
  
"It was dark." Amanda said.  
  
"What does that mean?" Steve asked.  
  
"Well, either it's underground, or the building has no windows." Amanda reasoned. "It's still bright outside. The light would be let through the windows if it had any."  
  
"Good thinking, Amanda." Mark agreed. "Also, George isn't working alone. We can look up his closest friends, and ask people who know him if they know anything about this."  
  
"I can do that," Steve said, getting the car keys. "I'll go get started on it. The sooner, the better."  
  
"Good luck Steve." Amanda said. Once Steve left, the two went back to thinking.  
  
"I think they might be in a warehouse." Mark said, breaking the silence.  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"Well," Mark started. "In the broadcast, the floors and walls were made of concrete. Warehouses don't have windows, either."  
  
"I think your right." Amanda agreed. "I can check to see what warehouses are out of use. Maybe we can find a lead there."  
  
"I'll go help Steve." Mark said, getting up with Amanda. "We'll meet at the beach house for dinner, okay?"  
  
"Perfect." Amanda said. "I'll see you there." They then parted to go their separate ways, both hoping to find a good lead.  
  
*****  
  
George sighed in frustration. Steve broke his camera. Oh well George thought with a smirk He'll pay for it. Emotionally, of course. George allowed himself to snicker. He didn't know that Jesse and Dane didn't have a strong father-son relationship until he had heard them arguing in their "room". That, of course, made it that much better for George. If he didn't kill one of them, the other would. He looked at his watch. 7:30. He walked over a station of 5 TV's. One was blank, but the others were set on random views. One was set on the police station; it was pointed at Steve's desk. Another one was pointed at the Sloan's front door. The screen next to it was pointed at the back door. The last one was pointed at the living area.  
  
A grin escaped as George watched Steve, Amanda and Mark walk into the living area and sit down. He watched as they talked, occasionally sipping their cups. His grin widened when all their faces turned to worry. He knew it was time to make his move.  
  
"Get the Travis men out!" he yelled, turning on a camera.  
  
"Yes sir." A man ran back to the room Dane and Jesse were kept in.  
  
**********  
  
I hope I answered a few questions there. I'll explain why Dane was driving a semi in the next chapter, so you don't need to worry about that. But, please, let me know how I did on this last chapter. I hope it was an improvement from the last! ^_^ And, once again, I'm sorry for the wait! 


	6. Discoveries and a Dilemma

Hey everyone! Back again with another update. Believe it or not, this is almost over. *gasp* It kind of moves fast at the end, but I hope you don't mind. Oh, and I don't own Indiana Jones, George Lucas and Lucasarts does. But anyway, here's a thanks to my reviewers:  
  
Britt-Angel: Thank you for such a nice review!! ^_^ Yeah, George is rather smart with electronics. I really didn't include how he got so educated about the gang, (or electronics for that matter) because I don't think it was necessary. But I'm glad you thought I filled in the holes okay! ^_^  
  
Daniel Wesley Rydell: lol! Well, sorry if the wait was too long! But hopefully it will be worth it in the end! ^_^  
  
Alf: I'm sorry you feel that way about my story. I didn't feel that it was necessary to talk about what had happened before the bus crash. I didn't want this story to be very long, so I decided to jump straight into the middle of the plot. But I do hope you check in every now and then and decide if I am improving.  
  
Edwina: Well good! ^_^ Hopefully you like this chapter as well! ^_^  
  
DMFAN: Yay! I'm glad you saw that I improved! ^_^ That's defiantly what I was going for. Although I didn't have to rewrite this chapter too much, I still took a while to update. *whoops* But I hope it wasn't too long! lol Oh, and trust me, there is PLENTY of Jesse angst coming up! *snickers evilly* ^_^  
  
Adsh: Thanks! And don't worry, Dane's semi situation gets explained this chapter! ^_^ You must have missed it, because in the first few chapters, I said that George was a janitor for Community General. That's how he got Jesse's house key and so on and so on. Hope that helped! ^_^  
  
Mellon-nin who was awesome at state!: Couldn't agree with you more about Jesse and Legolas! "Well LOOK at it for Pete's sake!" ROFLMBO! ^_^ Don't think I'll ever be able to look at that picture the same again! lol  
  
StrangePenguin: I'm glad the last chapter was up to your expectations! ^_^ And who doesn't love a little Jesse-Dane arguing! lol That pretty much the last of it, though. There's a little more this chapter, but not a whole lot. Hope you still like it, though! ^_^  
  
Legolasfreak: Yeah, I feel sorry about Jesse, too! And I'm the writer, too! lol But don't worry, they get back on good terms by the end of the story! ^_^  
  
And on with chapter 6!  
  
"Did you find out anything about empty warehouses, Amanda?" Mark asked as the three walked into Mark's living room, coffee in hand. He hoped Amanda had better news than he and Steve had. Apparently, George had no friends except his fiancé.   
  
"Yes; there's about 25 warehouses out of use in LA alone. But we don't even know if this guy is still in LA!" Amanda said, sitting down on the couch.  
  
"I suppose you're right," Mark agreed, "But I think he is in LA."  
  
"Why do you say that?" Steve asked.  
  
"Well, it wasn't long after Jesse was kidnapped, that George did his broadcast. He would have had to set it up way too quickly to get it together in time. I don't think he could have done it, with or without help." Mark explained. "Plus, if there's so many warehouses here, why would he need to go anywhere else?"  
  
"But we still have to search 25 warehouses! We don't have that kind of time." Steve said. The group fell silent, worrying for their friend. Suddenly, the TV flickered on.  
  
"Hello again, Dr. Sloan, Dr. Bentley, Lt. Sloan." George greeted them darkly. "I'm surprised you haven't found me yet, Dr. Sloan. Perhaps your skills aren't what they used to be." He snickered. "No matter, we're having so much fun here." The camera zoomed out to reveal Jesse and Dane, once again tied to chairs.  
  
"I'm going to give you one more day, Dr. Sloan. If you don't find us by then, you should look for a new ER doctor." He looked at Jesse. "I suggest you do that either way. What good is an ER doctor who can't move his arm?" Jesse brought his head up and looked at George with ice-cold eyes.  
  
"You better hurry, doc." George said to the camera. The group expected it to turn off, but it didn't.  
  
"That'll get him running." George laughed, unaware that the camera was still running. "I can't believe he hasn't found us yet," he walked over to Jesse. "Sure, warehouses are common to keep captives in, but not when they're right next to their apartment!" He backhanded Jesse across the face, causing him to slouch in his chair even more.  
  
"Let's go get him out of there, Dad!" Steve exclaimed.  
  
"We need a plan first." Mark said, frowning. He wasn't willing to risk anymore lives by barging into George's hideaway without any means of a plan.  
  
"Sir!" Came a voice from off the screen, causing his leader to turn.  
  
"What now?" George asked irritated.  
  
"There's a wildfire outside the warehouse!" George swore under his breath, and started to run towards the voice. In his haste, he ran into the wire from the camera, causing it to crash to the ground. The TV screen went blank.  
  
"Okay, Steve. We don't have time for plans." Mark said, getting off the couch. Amanda and Steve followed him out the door to save their friend.  
  
*****  
  
All the men had rushed out to fight the fire, leaving Jesse and Dane alone. After a while, Dane finally broke the silence.  
  
"You're right." He sighed. "I try to control everything and I can't. I thought you understood why I left you and your mother."  
  
"I understand, but I still haven't forgiven you." Jesse whispered coldly.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Jess. I wish I could have told you and your mom, but at the time, I couldn't. I really am sorry, Jesse." Dane tried.  
  
"You don't mean that." Jesse said flatly.  
  
"Yes I do!" Dane tried again. "I'm also sorry I didn't send you something for your birthday. I was here, and they don't have mail service." He tried to lighten the mood. Jesse didn't respond, so Dane made the final push.  
  
"I'd like for you to spend Father's Day with me. I really want this to work, Jesse." Slowly, Jesse turned his head to look at his dad. Part of him wanted to say "Never! Why would I do that?" But the other part of him won.  
  
"Gives me something to live for." He said with a small smile, causing Dane to smile as well. Their peaceful moment was rudely interrupted by the men charging back into the warehouse. Paying no attention to Jesse and Dane, they started gathering the supplies.  
  
"Hurry!" George screamed. "We've got less than 15 minutes! Move!" Jesse and Dane exchanged a worried glance.  
  
"What about them?" One of the men asked, pointing to Jesse and Dane. George paused.  
  
"Leave them." He said with a sinister smirk. "Lets go people!" George yelled again, his expression changing quickly. In a matter of minutes, the entire place had cleared out, leaving Dane and Jesse trapped in the dark.  
  
Jesse's mind was running. How were they going to get out of this mess? What if they didn't get out in time? How long would it take for Mark and everyone to find out? Did they know where he was? Then, for some reason, a scene from Indiana Jones popped into his mind amidst the chaos. It was where Indiana Jones and his father were trapped in a burning building, both of them tied to chairs. Indiana Jones had scooted his chair over to his father's and untied his roped hands. It's worth a shot, Jesse thought. He started hopping over to his dad.  
  
"Jesse? Jesse, what are you doing?" Dane asked his son.  
  
"Hold on, dad," Jesse said. He had finally positioned his chair so that he could reach his father's hands with his own. He then began to untie the knots. Dane couldn't help but smile with pride for his son. Within a matter of moments, his hands were free.  
  
"Couldn't have done it better myself!" Dane said, beginning to untie his feet. Once he had done that, he untied his son's hands and feet, since Jesse couldn't lean forward properly because of his arm.  
  
"Lets get out of here," Jesse said after his feet were freed. "We don't have much time left." Dane nodded in agreement, even though Jesse couldn't see him. Together, they felt their way to a wall. Without the lights, they had to trust their sense of touch. Slowly, they made their way to one corner.  
  
"Dad?" Jesse asked into the darkness.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Why were you driving a semi?" Once Jesse had time to reflect on the oddity of his father, the CIA agent, driving a semi, he had been wondering about the answer.  
  
"I thought you would ask that." Dane said with a chuckle. "We got a lead in late November about a semi driver taking Mexicans over the boarder illegally. So, I was put undercover as a semi driver to find out who it was. The night there was going to be another boarder crossing, I hit George's fiancé. Actually, she hit me. Came clear over to the other side of the road. I didn't have time to stick around for an ambulance, so I hitched a ride to headquarters."  
  
"You left?" Jesse asked.  
  
"I had no choice!" Dane exclaimed, trying to defend himself. "George found out that it was me towards the end of April, and lured me here. Been here ever since." Both men fell silent after that.  
  
Soon, they both turned with the wall at a corner, and repeated the process in silence. Well, it was silent until Jesse bumped into a table corner.  
  
"Whoa," Jesse said, startled. "I really wish there was some light in here!" Frustrated at his clumsiness, Jesse moved on, praying the door was close. As he inched closer, he could smell smoke. He stopped, causing Dane to run into him and his sore arm, making Jesse inhale sharply.  
  
"Sorry." Dane said quickly. He paused. "Why did you stop?"  
  
"Do you smell it?" Jesse asked, pushing the pain aside.  
  
"Smoke," Dane responded. "We must be close." Jesse started walking again. After a while, the smell got stronger, and the wall started to feel warm. Although both men said nothing, they were thinking the same thing. The wildfire was closer than they thought. If the door was on this wall, which they were almost sure it was, then it was likely that the fire already raged on the other side. It wasn't long until the wall became unbearably hot to touch.   
  
"How are we supposed to find the door now?" Jesse asked. He could hear his father sigh.  
  
"I don't know." He replied. There must be something… "Wait," Dane said after a pause. He dropped to his hands and knees and began searching. It wasn't long until he found a table. He roughly pushed it over, dumping the contents onto the floor. With one foot on the underside of the table, he broke off a table leg and handed it to Jesse. He then broke another one off for himself.  
  
"Dad?" Jesse questioned.  
  
"Most warehouse doors are made of steal. If we hit the wall with the table legs, we can judge where the door is!" Dane explained.  
  
"The steal will make a different sound than the concrete." Jesse finished. They then began to hit the wall with firm strokes. Thump… Thump… Thump… Ting.  
  
"I think I found it." Jesse said quietly. He slowly searched with the table leg for the handle. When he found it, he slowly began to push down on it until it wouldn't go down farther. Taking a deep breath, he eased the door open to reveal the raging fire just feet from the door. As Jesse roughly pushed the door the rest of the way open, his father stood behind him.  
  
"We better get going if we want to beat the fire." Dane said, starting to step out. He was abruptly stopped when shots flew through the air, and hit him in the chest.  
  
**********  
  
Ooooh! lol Little bit of a cliffy there! ^_^ Sorry about that. Hopefully I'll update soon so you won't have to worry about what happens next! ^_^ Please review and tell me what you thought about this chapter! ^_^ 


	7. Rescue

Why, hello again! Just as a warning, this chapter is kind of fast. So… yeah. I hope you enjoy it anyway. Here's thanks for reviewers:  
  
Daniel Wesley Rydell: Here's more! I'm glad you still like it! This isn't one of my better chapters, but I hope you still like it!  
  
Britt-Angel: Thanks! I'm so glad you liked the Indiana Jones part!! It's one of what I call "Random Thoughts of Angela"! lol  
  
Doc-Dm: lol. Yeah, I guess it was kind of a big cliffie! ^_^ But it's all answered in this chapter!  
  
DMFAN: All your answers will be answered in this chapter. ^_^ You kind of have to read it carefully to find out who shot Dane. I didn't come out and say it, but it is subtly put in there! ;) Tell me if you find out who it was! ^_^  
  
Mellon-nin: Alas, your review made me laugh much, even though I was there when you typed it! I am quite glad I didn't get THOSE points, for I don't need any more of those!!! lol yes, the commas were wonderful, weren't they? ^_^  
  
StrangePenguin: I'm so glad you liked the Indiana Jones part!! I wasn't sure what people would think of that, but everyone seemed to like it! Well, they didn't say anything bad about it anyway! lol I'm also glad that you like the father-son relationship. I tried to make it believable based on the episodes with Dane. I'm so excited you like my story so much!!! ^_^ *hugs* I hope you like this chapter as well!  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"Dad!" Jesse cried out, dropping to his knees as his father fell to the floor. He quickly pushed his dad out of the doorway, but couldn't get away fast enough himself. Just before he was safe, a single shot ripped into his upper ankle, causing him to cry out. After he regained his composure, he painfully scooted to his fallen dad.  
  
"Dad," Jesse whispered, fearing the worst.  
  
"Jess…" Dane painfully whispered back.  
  
"Just try to relax, okay Dad?" Jesse said, kicking into "doctor mode" regardless of the burning pain in his shoulder and ankle. Getting closer, he began to examine the gun wound. Tearing the bloodstained shirt open single-handedly (think about it), Jesse was relieved when he found that the wound was closer to his collarbone than his heart.  
  
Although the wound wasn't deathly serious yet, Jesse still had to stop the bleeding. He began to take off his scrubs shirt as easily as possible, revealing the white shirt underneath. Although he tried not to, the fabric brushed against his still hurting shoulder, causing him to hiss in pain. Balling it up, he pressed it against the wound.  
  
"C'mon, Dad. You gotta keep talking to me, okay?" Jesse pleaded as a few stray tears crept down his face.  
  
"Okay," Dane whispered. "Did you… get shot?"  
  
"Yeah, but it's not too bad."   
  
"Liar." Dane said with a slight grin. "Everyone knows… doctors are… the worst… patients." Jesse couldn't help but smile at his father's truthful comment. He then looked towards the door with a frown. Gently, he took his father's arm and pressed his hand to Jesse's shirt on his chest. Once he was satisfied that his father was going to put enough pressure on the wound, he started inching towards the door.  
  
"Jesse…" Dane whispered with worry for his son but Jesse held up his hand to silence him. Carefully, he poked his head out to check out the situation. Luckily for him, their captors weren't looking. But that's about where their luck ran out. The fire was only about 2 feet from the door, and there was no help in sight. Jesse had to pull his head back inside because of the intensity of the heat. They weren't going to get out that way. Looking around the warehouse, Jesse couldn't see any other door. They were in trouble now.  
  
"Dad?" Jesse said, crawling back towards his dad. "We're going to have to move to the other side of the warehouse, okay?" Dane nodded slightly. Jesse knelt at Dane's feet an arm's length away. Carefully, he pulled him along the concrete by his father's ankles. Scooting back on his knees, he repeated the process. That is how they painstakingly made their way across the warehouse. By the time they got to the other end, Jesse was breathing heavily and the pain in his ankle made his vision blur. When he looked back at the door, his heart sank. The fire had gone inside the warehouse, and was burning everything in its path.  
  
"How close?" Dane whispered.  
  
"Not too bad." Jesse replied shortly, not wanting to worry his dad.  
  
"Really."  
  
"It's close." Jesse said, looking into Dane's eyes. Worry reflected in both men's eyes. "There has to be another way out!" Jesse exclaimed, his worry turning into anger. He began to franticly look around the warehouse for any way to escape. A change in the shadows caught his attention. "I'll be right back…" he murmured. Painfully he limped towards the right side of the warehouse. As he came near it, his hope rose. Running his hand on the wall, he found that it was actually a garage door. As quickly as he could, Jesse limped back.  
  
"I've found a garage door," he stated, trying to keep his voice down. A pained smile fell across Dane's face. "I'm going to have to pull you over there again." Jesse tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice. He wasn't sure if he would be able to drag his father across the floor another time. But looking at the fire that was much closer than before, he knew he had no choice. Slowly, he gently pulled Dane towards the garage door, stopping after every pull to catch his breath.  
  
"Leave… me," Dane whispered, his eyes pleading his son to obey.  
  
"I can't," Jesse said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "I won't enjoy spending Father's Day with you if you're underground." He tried to smile, but didn't have the strength to do so. Instead, he continued pulling his father along. Although it was taking longer than pulling his father from the door, the fire wasn't moving any slower. It was only ten feet away and gaining fast. No matter how much strength Jesse put into pulling his father, he knew he wouldn't be able to get out in time.  
  
"Leave… me," Dane demanded again.  
  
"No, dad!" Jesse said "We're either getting out of this both alive, or we're both going to die trying." Jesse kept painfully dragging his father across the floor. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally reached the garage door. Quickly, he searched for something to break the door with and settled on a metal box. Jesse then wasted no time in pounding the door, hoping his captors had already left thinking they were dead. Looking behind him, he saw that the fire was less than eight feet away. That caused him to hit the door even harder. Finally, the door started to splinter and crack. Lost in his job, it took a while for Jesse to hear the voice yelling at him. Confused, he stopped pounding the door.  
  
"Jesse? Jesse, is that you?" a muffled voice said from behind the door.  
  
"Steve?" Jesse could only dare to hope.  
  
"Jesse, get down." Steve instructed. Jesse lay on the ground next to his dad. A tiny explosive went off over their heads, breaking the door much quicker than Jesse had.  
  
"Jess!" Steve said franticly, looking for his friend through the hole the LAPD had created.  
  
"Steve!" Jesse said. "The fire's only a few feet away, we gotta get my dad out of here! He's been shot." he explained quickly. Steve nodded and kicked the door so that the hole was large enough and low enough to pass Dane through. Kneeling, Steve lifted Dane up from under the shoulders and dragged him to the outside, Jesse following close behind.  
  
"Let's go," Jesse said, limping towards the mob of police cars and ambulances.  
  
"Jesse!" he heard, and turned towards Mark and Amanda running towards him. When they reached him, Amanda embraced him tightly, causing him to wince.  
  
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. What happened?" Amanda asked in a rush, looking him over with a trained eye.  
  
"You've been shot." Mark said, more of a statement than a question.  
  
"Yeah, but it's not that bad." Jesse said, not convincing either of them as he started to slightly waver on his feet.  
  
"C'mon, let's get you to Community General." Amanda said, leading him towards the cars. Jesse only took a few steps when he collapsed against Amanda.  
  
"Okay, maybe it's worse than I thought," Jesse admitted wincing as the adrenaline wore off. Mark allowed himself to chuckle softly as the three made their way to the awaiting ambulance. Mark and Amanda helped Jesse sit on the edge of the ambulance as Mark inspected Jesse's ankle and Amanda inspected his shoulder.  
  
"Well, Jess, it's broken all right." He said with a sigh. "Let's get you to Community General."  
  
"Wait," Jesse said, searching the crowd. "Where's my dad?"  
  
"He left in an ambulance a few minutes ago. The paramedics said he'll be fine." Steve said, walking up towards the group.  
  
"Now can we go?" Mark asked, raising his eyebrows. Jesse nodded. He had had enough excitement for one day. As gently as they could, Mark and Amanda pulled Jesse into the ambulance as Steve jumped in after them.  
  
"Lets go!" he yelled at the driver as his father and Amanda continued to fuss over Jesse.  
  
*********  
  
No cliffie, sorry! lol Okay, this is where I really need feed-back. I want to know if you guys want to have a sequel or just to tie everything up in this story. Granted, it will take a while for the sequel to come out, but I will work hard at it if you guys want one! So, please, tell me! Thanks so much!! ^_^ 


	8. Ends Tied Up

AN: OMG, I am SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO sorry!!!!! I know it took me over a month to finally post, but at last it's here! It's also the last chapter. I know what's probably going through your minds (well, it's going through mine) "All she had to do was finish the chapter she mostly had finished anyway?!" And my excuse is I didn't know what to have Jesse give Dane for Father's Day. Pathetic, I know, but I wanted it to be kinda special, and I had a total writer's block. I also decided not to do a sequel because it would take too long, and by the time I got it finished, no one would remember what happened in this story! lol So now, I won't waste anymore of your time and get on with the story and review's notes! I hope you like this chapter!  
  
Daniel Wesley Rydell: Yes, I agree, sequels are neat. Unfortunately, I'm not doing one for this story. Oh well. Thanks for reviewing my story! It was always nice to get reviews from you; you often brought my spirits up. Thanks!  
  
Doc-dm: Thank you! I enjoy having Jesse suffer, too! lol Unfortunately, not much suffering in this chapter! It's more of the "comfort" end of hurt/comfort. None-the-less, I hope you enjoy it! And thanks for reviewing my story!  
  
DMFAN: I can't thank you enough. Your kind and encouraging words could always make me smile! I'm glad you liked the last chapter. (And yes, you were right, the shooter was George!) Unfortunately, no sequel, but I do plan to keep writing. Though, my next story will probably be a Star Wars one! lol So, if you're into that, check it out! It might not be up for a while, though. Anyway, once again, thanks for always reviewing!!  
  
Legolasfreak: Indiana Jones is great, isn't he? lol My family's a big fan as well since we live in Indiana! lol! Thanks for reviewing! I see you everywhere on fanfiction.net, so I felt honored that you reviewed my story! lol (I even have a Lord of the Rings story coming up, and, being a fan of Legolas like you, I think you'd like it! lol But it won't be up for a long while…) Thanks again!  
  
Britt-Angel: Thanks for reviewing last chapter! …And the whole story! lol It was nice to have someone to count on to say nice things about me and my story! I truly appreciate it! Thanks!!  
  
Mellon-nin: What can I say about you? You're by far the best friend anyone can have, and you always make me feel like I'm the best at anything! (even though I'm not!) Thanks for always being there, buddy!!!  
  
JesseTravisLuvr: You are far too kind! And thanks for the spell check! ;) I never really was all that good at spelling… lol! Thanks for reviewing and keeping me in check! lol   
  
StrangePenguin: Wow. You always could get me out of a depressed stage! You have no idea how much I valued your advice and praise! (even when I didn't deserve it!) Hopefully, this chapter is up to par, and you like it just as well. Thanks so much again!!  
  
LAChick4Life: I'd have to agree with you there about Jesse being so cute! lol And don't worry, he'll be fine! ^_^ What kind of author would I be if I didn't make him okay? lol! Hope this chapter puts your mind at ease. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
**Because I love you all so much, and because you were often my inspiration to update and helped me grow through this story, I dedicate this chapter to all of you!**  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"Mark, you said that I could get a room with my dad!" Jesse complained. Sleep was calling to Jesse, but he wouldn't answer until he got his wish. As soon as they got to Community General, Jesse was stitched, bandaged, and numbed. Finally, he was able to rest in his very white hospital room, but he would have none of it, simply because it was lacking something in the decor. His father.  
  
"Jess, it's late. We'll move you in the morning." Mark tried to reason, but he knew it was no use. Jesse had already made up his mind. The patient turned to Amanda.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" She exclaimed, putting on her best "mom" face. "Don't even try those puppy eyes on me because they won't work!" Jesse continued to stare, his blue eyes melting Amanda's weak façade.  
  
"Well, moving him would only take a few minutes, wouldn't it Mark?" Amanda asked shyly.  
  
"Amazing," Mark said with a smile.  
  
"Well you try to say no to those eyes!" Amanda said, pointing to Jesse. He turned to Mark, only now his puppy eyes also held a glint of amusement.  
  
"Don't bother, Jess." Mark said, holding up a hand. "I'll go notify the nurse." he said before he walked out of the room, shaking his head.  
  
"Happy now?" Amanda asked, trying to keep a straight face, but was failing miserably.  
  
"Very." Jesse said with a smug grin he had grown to perfect.  
  
"How do you do that?" she asked, crossing her arms as a grin spread across her face.  
  
"Hours of practice!" Jesse said, sharing her smile.  
  
"Okay," Mark said, walking back into the room. "I've got it settled. Let's go." Amanda and Mark carefully helped Jesse into a wheelchair, and wheeled him to the elevator to take him a level higher. Soon, they found the room where Dane was. They opened the door slowly to find Dane fast asleep. Quietly, they wheeled Jesse in a settled him in his bed. Their movement didn't seem to bother Dane who continued to snore softly.  
  
"Now will you sleep?" Mark whispered, his eyes looking pointedly at Jesse.  
  
"Like father like son." Jesse whispered back with a smile. Mark and Amanda then quietly walked out the door, leaving the two alone to sleep off the tension of the day's events.  
  
*******  
  
"Something happened in that warehouse." Mark declared quietly as he and Amanda started walking towards the doctor's lounge.  
  
"Well, yeah." Amanda agreed. "They were held captive, tortured, and almost burnt to death. I'd say something happened in that warehouse!" she exclaimed as they stepped into the lounge.  
  
"No, I mean between Jesse and Dane." Mark said, reaching for the coffee pot. "Didn't you notice how protective Jesse was towards his father after they got out of the warehouse?" he asked, handing a cup of coffee to Amanda as he poured himself one.  
  
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean the situation between them has changed." Amanda said as Mark sat down across from her. "It is close to Father's Day, maybe Jesse's just feeling a little nice." She took a sip of the warm coffee.  
  
"It's more than that." Mark said, shaking his head. "Normally Jesse would never want to be in the same hospital room as his father. He even talks as though their relationship has improved."  
  
"I don't know, Mark." Amanda said, still dubious. "It could be wishful thinking."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Mark said, sipping his coffee. "But I sure hope it's not."  
  
*******  
  
Jesse woke up to weak sunshine on his face, leaving him in temporary bliss. He sighed contently, feeling much better than the night before. That thought brought swarming memories of the struggle and the narrow escape. Carefully turning his head, he looked at his sleeping father. The site brought a small smile to his face. Through an extremely trying time, they had come through it stronger. Better.  
  
I must be on a huge morphine drip Jesse thought because he only felt a whisper of pain. It was because of this, that he decided to try to sit up. Gently, he pushed himself up with his uninjured arm. He then pressed a button to make his bed rise to a sitting position, and sat back with a heavy sigh. That little action alone seemed to drain him of his energy, and the whisper of pain turned into a cry. He could add this to the list of "Ingenious Things Jesse's Done" along with drinking poisoned milk and having George capture him. George! Suddenly, Jesse realized that his friends never said anything about finding George. Try as he might, he knew he wouldn't be able to rest until he knew. Slowly, he swung his legs over the side of his bed. Pulling his IV stand over, he used it as a support as he gingerly rose to his feet. Careful not to put pressure on his broken ankle, he limped out of the room, successfully not waking his father. Painfully, he made his way down the hallway towards the Doctor's Lounge, getting very odd looks from the passing nurses. He was thankful that none of them asked him what he was doing.  
  
"Mark," Jesse said, a relieved smile gracing his tired features as he hung onto the doorway. He wasn't sure he could make it any farther without falling. He was glad that both Mark and Amanda were sitting there, so he wouldn't have to continue his painful search.  
  
"Jesse!" Mark exclaimed, racing towards his friend who looked like he was going to fall over. Gently, he guided Jesse to a chair Amanda had pulled out for him.  
  
"What are you doing?" Mark asked, giving his collogue a stern look after he was sure Jesse was okay.  
  
"Looking for you." Jesse smiled meekly.  
  
"Jesse," Mark warned.  
  
"Wait," Jesse said, holding up his hands as if to ward off a physical attack. "You didn't tell me something last night."  
  
"That's hardly an excuse, Jess." Amanda said, sharing the disapproving look Mark gave him.  
  
"You didn't tell me if you caught George." Jesse said, searching their eyes for an answer. He was rewarded with a sigh from Mark.  
  
"You didn't get him, did you?" Jesse said quietly, understanding his friends' silence. He turned his gaze to the table. He suddenly felt very weak. Silently, he chided himself for being foolish enough to think that they had caught him. George was clever, he reminded himself. Still, it did little to ease the pain burning in his heart.  
  
"I'm sorry, Jess." Amanda said softly, breaking the silence.  
  
"We will find him, though." Came a voice from behind. Steve walked in the door. "He can't hide forever. I've already got a squad on it." Jesse just nodded numbly.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Steve asked with a playful frown. "You should follow doctor's orders, you know."  
  
"Oh, and you have room to talk!" Jesse said, a smile touching his lips. This wasn't the first time they had this conversation.  
  
"What do you mean?" Steve said in mock surprise.  
  
"Stop it you two!" Amanda said, playfully slapping Steve's arm. Steve feigned a look of hurt on his face while Jesse complemented it with an almost convincing look of innocence. Suddenly, Steve's cell phone interrupted their bickering.  
  
"Sloan here," Steve said, answering the call. His face went blank as he heard what was said on the other line. "Okay. Thanks." he turned the phone off, his face unchanged.  
  
"Who was that?" Mark asked. He couldn't gauge by his son's face what had happened. Just then, Steve broke out into a grin.  
  
"They caught George!" he exclaimed. "He and his men were hiding in their truck just a few yards from the warehouse! They didn't even have the sense to drive away!" By now, everyone in the room was smiling, Jesse biggest of all. "Told you we'd catch him!" Steve said, patting Jesse on the back, careful of his healing shoulder.  
  
"Now will you go back to bed?" Mark asked, his stern look ruined by his smile. Jesse nodded, still grinning. Amanda stepped outside of the lounge and got a wheelchair for Jesse from a near-by nurse. Together, the three helped Jesse into the chair and started wheeling him down the hallway. Once they got to Jesse's room, they were surprised to see Dane sitting up in bed, fully awake.  
  
"Jesse!" he exclaimed once he saw his son enter the room. "Where were you? Did something happen? Is he alright?" the last question was aimed at Mark who smiled reassuringly.  
  
"No, your son just decided to come and look for us." he explained as Amanda and Steve helped Jesse back into his hospital bed. "And I think he has some good news for you." he prompted his friend.  
  
"They caught George!" Jesse said giving his dad a huge smile which Dane returned. Mark couldn't help but smile with them. Jesse and Dane still had a lot a patching up to do, but Mark knew that they were well on their way to having a healthy father-son relationship that Jesse had always craved for.  
  
***a few weeks later***  
  
"Happy father's day, Dad." Steve said, handing his father a white box. Mark smiled and opened it to reveal a navy tie.  
  
"Thanks, Steve," Mark said, holding the tie out of the box. "I'll add it to my collection of 'Father's Day' ties."  
  
"You know, Dad," Steve said, taking a sip of his coffee. "One of these days you're going to tell me what you really want for Father's Day."  
  
"Like that'll ever happen!" Jesse said with a grin. Jesse had finally convinced Mark that he and Dane were well enough to spend Father's Day outside of the hospital. And, traditionally, Mark insisted that Jesse, along with his father, finish their recovery at the beach house. Finally, Father's Day rolled around, and it was time to exchange the presents. Steve had started, and now, it was Jesse's turn.  
  
Jesse reached into his pocket, pulling out a plain white envelope which he handed to Dane. Dane slowly lifted the flap and pulled out what seemed to be a brochure of some kind, not revealing what it was to the rest of the group. Mark looked at Dane, then to Jesse, desperately trying to figure out what Jesse had given his father. Finally, Jesse spoke.  
  
"I thought once we were fully recovered, we could go on a fishing trip. Ya know, some father-son time." Jesse said with a barely noticeable shrug, for he couldn't gage Dane's emotions either. He had a tough time finding something for his dad, and he wasn't sure how he would take it. Dane paused before he looked up at Jesse, a smile starting to grow on his face.  
  
"I'd like that," Dane said, his smile widening. Jesse returned it, and soon everyone had grins on their faces. Finally, Jesse had a real Father's Day with the one person who mattered most.  
  
**********  
  
Ah, sappy ending! lol! Well, I hope you all enjoyed, and thanks SO much for being patient!!! ^_^ 


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